Words whose 8th letter is K

Abelmosk (n.) An evergreen shrub (Hibiscus -- formerly Abelmoschus -- moschatus), of the East and West Indies and Northern Africa, whose musky seeds are used in perfumery and to flavor coffee; -- sometimes called musk mallow.

Banstickle (n.) A small fish, the three-spined stickleback.

Bobolink (n.) An American singing bird (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). The male is black and white; the female is brown; -- called also, ricebird, reedbird, and Boblincoln.

Chipmunk (n.) A squirrel-like animal of the genus Tamias, sometimes called the striped squirrel, chipping squirrel, ground squirrel, hackee. The common species of the United States is the Tamias striatus.

Corncrake (n.) A bird (Crex crex or C. pratensis) which frequents grain fields; the European crake or land rail; -- called also corn bird.

Dabchick (n.) A small water bird (Podilymbus podiceps), allied to the grebes, remarkable for its quickness in diving; -- called also dapchick, dobchick, dipchick, didapper, dobber, devil-diver, hell-diver, and pied-billed grebe.

Deadlock (n.) A lock which is not self-latching, but requires a key to throw the bolt forward.

Earlduck (n.) The red-breasted merganser (Merganser serrator).

Fishhawk (n.) The osprey (Pandion haliaetus), found both in Europe and America; -- so called because it plunges into the water and seizes fishes in its talons. Called also fishing eagle, and bald buzzard.

Fishhook (n.) A hook with a pendant, to the end of which the fish-tackle is hooked.

Fission (n.) A method of asexual reproduction among the lowest (unicellular) organisms by means of a process of self-division, consisting of gradual division or cleavage of the into two parts, each of which then becomes a separate and independent organisms; as when a cell in an animal or plant, or its germ, undergoes a spontaneous division, and the parts again subdivide. See Segmentation, and Fluework (n.) A general name for organ stops in which the sound is caused by wind passing through a flue or fissure and striking an edge above; -- in distinction from reedwork.

Forelock (n.) A cotter or split pin, as in a slot in a bolt, to prevent retraction; a linchpin; a pin fastening the cap-square of a gun.

Forereach (v. t.) To advance or gain upon; -- said of a vessel that gains upon another when sailing closehauled.

Goatsucker (n.) One of several species of insectivorous birds, belonging to Caprimulgus and allied genera, esp. the European species (Caprimulgus Europaeus); -- so called from the mistaken notion that it sucks goats. The European species is also goat-milker, goat owl, goat chaffer, fern owl, night hawk, nightjar, night churr, churr-owl, gnat hawk, and dorhawk.

Gowdnook (n.) The saury pike; -- called also gofnick.

Halfbeak (n.) Any slender, marine fish of the genus Hemirhamphus, having the upper jaw much shorter than the lower; -- called also balahoo.

Herdbook (n.) A book containing the list and pedigrees of one or more herds of choice breeds of cattle; -- also called herd record, or herd register.

Hornbook (n.) The first book for children, or that from which in former times they learned their letters and rudiments; -- so called because a sheet of horn covered the small, thin board of oak, or the slip of paper, on which the alphabet, digits, and often the Lord's Prayer, were written or printed; a primer.

Ironbark tree () The Australian Eucalyptus Sideroxylon, used largely by carpenters and shipbuilders; -- called also ironwood.

Ironwork (n.) Anything made of iron; -- a general name of such parts or pieces of a building, vessel, carriage, etc., as consist of iron.

Knitback (n.) The plant comfrey; -- so called from its use as a restorative.

Landlocked (a.) Confined to a fresh-water lake by reason of waterfalls or dams; -- said of fishes that would naturally seek the sea, after spawning; as, the landlocked salmon.

Lapstrake (a.) Made with boards whose edges lap one over another; clinker-built; -- said of boats.

Lar (n.) A species of gibbon (Hylobates lar), found in Burmah. Called also white-handed gibbon.

Longbeak (n.) The American redbellied snipe (Macrorhamphus scolopaceus); -- called also long-billed dowitcher.

Lovelock (n.) A long lock of hair hanging prominently by itself; an earlock; -- worn by men of fashion in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I.

Maverick (n.) In the southwestern part of the united States, a bullock or heifer that has not been branded, and is unclaimed or wild; -- said to be from Maverick, the name of a cattle owner in Texas who neglected to brand his cattle.

Morepork (n.) The Australian crested goatsucker (Aegotheles Novae-Hollandiae). Also applied to other allied birds, as Podargus Cuveiri.

Limerick (n.) A nonsense poem of five anapestic lines, of which lines 1, 2, and 5 are of there feet, and rime, and lines 3 and 4 are of two feet, and rime; as --There was a young lady, Amanda,/Whose Ballades Lyriques were quite fin de/Si/cle, I deem/But her Journal Intime/Was what sent her papa to Uganda.//

Lineup (n.) any arrangement of persons (rarely, of things), esp. when having a common purpose or sentiment; as, the line-up at a ticket-office window; the line-up of polit Ragnarok (n.) The so-called "Twilight of the Gods" (called in German Gotterdammerung), the final destruction of the world in the great conflict between the Aesir (gods) on the one hand, and on the other, the gaints and the powers of Hel under the leadership of Loki (who is escaped from bondage).

Tripitaka (n.) The three divisions, or "baskets" (pitakas), of buddhist scriptures, -- the Vinayapitaka [Skr. Vinayapi/aka] , or Basket of Discipline; Suttapitaka [Pali] , or Basket of Discourses; and Abhidhammapitaka [Pali] , or Basket of Metaphysics.

Postmark (v. t.) To mark with a post-office stamp; as, to postmark a letter or parcel.

Poundcake (n.) A kind of rich, sweet cake; -- so called from the ingredients being used by pounds, or in equal quantities.

Redshank (n.) A common Old World limicoRedshank (n.) A bare-legged person; -- a contemptuous appellation formerly given to the Scotch Highlanders, in allusion to their bare legs.

Redskin (n.) A common appellation for a North American Indian; -- so called from the color of the skin.

Ringneck (n.) Any one of several species of small plovers of the genus Aegialitis, having a ring around the neck. The ring is black in summer, but becomes brown or gray in winter. The semipalmated plover (Ae. semipalmata) and the piping plover (Ae. meloda) are common North American species. Called also ring plover, and ring-necked plover.

Ringneck (n.) The ring-necked duck.

Ringstraked (a.) Ring-streaked.

Sandnecker (n.) A European flounder (Hippoglossoides limandoides); -- called also rough dab, long fluke, sand fluke, and sand sucker.

Shaddock (n.) A tree (Citrus decumana) and its fruit, which is a large species of orange; -- called also forbidden fruit, and pompelmous.

Shagbark (n.) A rough-barked species of hickory (Carya alba), its nut. Called also shellbark. See Hickory.

Shagbark (n.) The West Indian Pithecolobium micradenium, a legiminous tree with a red coiled-up pod.

Shake (v.) To move or remove by agitating; to throw off by a jolting or vibrating motion; to rid one's self of; -- generally with an adverb, as off, out, etc.; as, to shake fruit down from a tree.

Skipjack (n.) A shallow sailboat with a rectilinear or V-shaped cross section.

Slopwork (n.) The manufacture of slops, or cheap ready-made clothing; also, such clothing; hence, hasty, slovenly work of any kind.

Sterrink (n.) The crab-eating seal (Lobodon carcinophaga) of the Antarctic Ocean.

Tamarack (n.) The black pine (Pinus Murrayana) of Alaska, California, etc. It is a small tree with fine-grained wood.

Thelytokous (a.) Producing females only; -- said of certain female insects.

Woodcock (n.) Any one of several species of long-billed limicoline birds belonging to the genera Scolopax and Philohela. They are mostly nocturnal in their habits, and are highly esteemed as game birds.

About the author

Mark McCracken Author: Mark McCracken is a corporate trainer and author living in Higashi Osaka, Japan. He is the author of thousands of online articles as well as the Business English textbook, "25 Business Skills in English".

Copyright © 2011 by Mark McCracken, All Rights Reserved.